Report from the Select Committee on patent medicines.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Patent Medicines.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on patent medicines. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    1] SELECT COMMITTEE ON i\aTENT MEDICINES. IXVll Minister of State, but that such formulae sLiould not be divulged to any other person except as hereinafter recommended. / Recommend A-iViONS. / 56. Your Committee therefore recommend * (1) That the administration of the lai.'''^ governing the advertisem^^'^ sale ot patent, secret and proprietary medi(^’°®s ^nd appliances be co'^’^i^^ted and combined under the authority of one r/®P^i’tment of State. (2) That this administration be p* functions of th^ Ministry of Public Health when such a Department created, and that in ^^he meanwhile it be undertaken by the Local Grovernmr Hoard. (3) That a competent officer appointed to thb Department, with the duty of advising the Minister at the 7^®ad of the Depai^o^ent concerned regarding the enforcement of the law ’ ^ t of these remedies. in respec , , (o) That there be establi.^ Department concerned a register of manufacturers, proprietors ani' importers of patent, secret and proprietary remedies, and that every sue’Person be required to apply for a certificate of registration and to furnis^^ e principal address of the responsible manufacturer or representative in this/ and (5) a list of the medicine or medicines pro- posed to be made or , (6) That an exact) complete statement of the ingredients and the propor- tions of the same of patent secret and proprietary remedy ; of the contents other than Mune, and f ® alcoholic strength of every medicated wine, and a full statement of the thev or to be made ; and a specimen of every appliance i ciFL''! other than recognised surgical appliances, be furnished to j pepartment, such information not to be disclosed except as hereinafter recomn kended, the Department to control such statement at their discretion, by an? les made confidentially by the Government Chemist ’ (7) That a VJ Court or Commission be constituted with power to permit or to prohibit m l mterest, or on the ground of non-compliance with the law, the sale and aavmisement of any 23atent, secret or proprietary remedy or appliance, and that the commission appointed for the purpose be a indicia] authority such as a Metropolitan Police Magistrate sitting with two assessors one appointed by the Department, and the other, hy 2^„dy as the London Chamber of Commerce. (8) That the President of the Local Government Board (or Minister f Health) have power to institute the necessary proceedings to enforce comolia ^ with the law, the sale and advertisement of any patent, secret or pronr t ^ remedy, or appliance, f' P ry (9) That a registration number be assigned to every remedy permittee^ ^ i sold, and that every bottle or package of it be required to bear the imj.r.jj,^ “ RN. . .” (with the number), and that no other words referring to the registra- tion be permitted. (10) That in the case of a remedy the sale of which is prohibited, the proprietor or manufacturer be entitled to appeal to the High Court against the prohibition. (11) That the Department be empowered to require the name and proportion of any poisonous or potent drug forming an ingredient of any remedy to be exhibited upon the label. (12) That inspectors be placed at the disposal of the Department to examine advertisements and observe the sale of proprietary remedies and appliances. (18) That an annual fee be payable in respect of every registration number issued. 57. Your Committee make the following recommendations regarding the amendment of existing laws :— (1) That the Stamp Acts be consolidated and amended to remove the numerous existing anomalies and unreasonable exceptions. In this connection, pure drugs vended entire under a fancy name should no longer be exempt from duty; the distinction between the name of an ailment, and the name of an organ the seat of that ailment, should be abandoned ; and the exemption of medicines generating carbonic acid gas should be omitted {see Par. 16). Further, any reference in advertising matter to the Government stamp should be prohibited, and no name of a proprietor or firm should be printed upon the stamp.